Woman robbed of gold chain

Ranchi, March 22: Two bikers snatched a gold chain worth Rs 35,000 from a 54-year-old woman at Lalpur in the heart of Ranchi this morning.

Victim Anju Verma and her husband Sambhu Nath Verma, a retired bank official, were on their way to Lalpur Chowk around 10.30am when the incident occurred near the bank colony at Burdwan Compound. An FIR has been registered at Lalpur police station.

According to Sambhu Nath, the bikers, who appeared to be in their 30s, did not wear any helmet or mask.

“The two came speeding from the front and snatched the gold chain from my wife’s neck. Before we could realise what was happening, they fled towards Holy Cross School. Two passers-by on a motorbike chased them and even caught hold of the jacket of one of the snatchers. But the men brandished a pistol and fled,” Sambhu Nath added.

Secretary of Birendra Sudha Flat Owners’ Association B.K. Thakur, who witnessed the snatching, said that it was the third such incident in six months. “In the earlier incidents, criminals had snatched chains of two young ladies at the same point. The cases were also reported to Lalpur police. But no one was arrested,” he said.